Bass & BBQ is Back

30 slow-cooking contestants from the Kansas City Barbecue Society to duke it out at the Forrest Wood Cup

There is some really good barbecue down at the FLW Expo. Photo by Curtis Niedermier.

June 9, 2015 • MLF • Archives

Bass fishing and barbecue are favorite Southern pastimes, made even better when you spice them up with a little competition. That’s the inspiration behind the second annual Bass & BBQ competition, which will be held concurrently with the 2015 Forrest Wood Cup Aug. 22-23 at the FLW Expo outside the Hot Springs Convention Center and Bank of the Ozarks Arena.

The 30-team barbecue competition is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society and will be part of a yearlong points race to find the best barbecue in the country.

During the two-day event, fans will have the opportunity to taste slow-cooked meats from some of the top competing teams in the country. A $5 donation gets fans five tickets to redeem for pulled pork and rib samples. Fans can then vote to determine the Fishermen’s Favorite Award, which goes to the team that collects the most votes. Awards will be presented before the Forrest Wood Cup weigh-ins Saturday and Sunday at Bank of the Ozarks Arena. The total payout for the two-day competition is $10,000.

“Fans that come out to the Forrest Wood Cup this year are in for a real treat,” says Steve Arrison, chief executive officer of Visit Hot Springs. “We’ve got great fishing, great music and great barbecue, and it is going to make for one awesome week.”

The FLW Expo and Bass & BBQ event are free and open to the public Friday, Aug. 21 through Sunday, Aug. 23 from 10 a.m. to 4: 30 p.m. Live concerts will also be part of the outdoor Bass & BBQ festival Saturday and Sunday, with country music superstar Justin Moore headlining the event with a free show on Sunday at 4 p.m. before the final weigh-in.

Stay tuned to FLWFishing.com for more event details regarding the 2015 Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Ouachita Aug. 20-23.